Remote control apparatus



- Oct. 28,3930 Q w BELL 1,779,418

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 31, 1929 IM 2 Q5 64 INVENTOR I OJV-Bell Q- a $41 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 28,. 1930 v l barren STATESPATENT err ice PENNSYLVANIA oHAnLEs WVBE'LL, or wInKINsBuRG,PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon r 'rrrn UNION swrron: & SIGNAL CQMPANY, orswrssvALE,

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF REMOTE CONTROL. APrAR-ATUs Applicationfiled January 31, 1929. Serial No. 336,413.

My invention relates to remote control apparatus, and particularly toapparatus for.

safely controlling traffic govermngdevices such as railway switches andsignals from a distant point.

repeater relays,

' ters S S S and S One feature of my invention is the provision ofmeansincluding'non-coded currents of different characteristics for separatelycon-' trolling a switch and a signal and two approach indications overone pair of conductors.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and willthen'point out the novel features thereof in claims.-

The accompanying drawing is a diagram-.

matic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate therails. of a stretch X of railway track connected by means of a switch Fwith a siding Y. Switch F, in its normal position as shown in thedrawing, directs traflic over stretchX only, and, in its reverseposition, directs traflic over stretch X to or from siding Y.

The rails of stretch X are divided by insulated joints 2 to form anapproach track section A-.B west of switch F and which as shown in thedrawing is to the left, and section CD east of switch F and which asshown in the drawing is to the right. Each of these track sections isprovided with a track circuit, which issupplied with current by abattery 3 connectedacross the rails,ad jacent one end of the section.Thetrack circuit for section AB includes the track relay G and the trackcircuit for section C'D includes the track relay G Slowreleasing tivelyby front contacts of track relays G and G I Signals designated by thereference characgovern movements of and S governtrafiic over switch F,signals S and ing over switch F in its normal position, signals S and Sgoverning over switch in its reverse position. as here shown is of thesemaphore type.

As indicated in the drawing, s'witchF is 'tacts 8 and 44 whichdesignated by the reference characters 9 and 9?, are controlledrespecmary winding F. ing relays K and E. Each of these signal operatedby a motor M comprising an armature 5 and a field winding 6, which iscon trolled inany suitable manner by the polarized relay E. An exampleof such control is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings included in myco-pending application filed May 19, 1928, Serial No. 279,086 for remotecontrolling apparatus, in which motor M is controlled by a polarizedrelay R and a circuit controller a.

A polarized signal relay H, having windings 51'and 52, controls signalsS S S and S in accordance with the position of switch F. WVindings 52 iscontinuously supplied with alternating current from a suitable sourceover wires .2? and 0.

. Switch control relay E and signal control relay H are controlled overa pair of conductors 11 and 17 by manually operable levers V and Vrespectively, which may be included in a group of such levers at somecentral location, such as a train despatchers office. Lever V has anormal position N and a reverse position R, and is provided with conareclosed only while lever V is in its N or its R position respectively.LeverV has anormal position N, a reverse position to the left designatedby the reference L, and a reverse position to the right designated bythe reference B. LeverV is provided with contacts 22, 80' and 32 whicharevclosed only while lever L, N, or R positions respectively.

Indication of the approach of a train in sections A.B or C-D is providedby lamps e and 6 which are controlled -by relays K and K respectively. Atransformer T suplies current through the contacts of lever Q foroperating relays K and H. The pri- 18 of transformer T is continuouslysupplied with alternating current from the wires m and 0. The secondaryside of transformer T is provided with two windings 19 and 20 having acommon terminal 7 6.

BatteriesQ and Q supply direct current through the contacts of lever Vfor operat- V Condensers 25 and 26 prevent direct current, frombatteries Q and Q", from reaching relays K and H. Impedance winding 13and the'winding ofrelay K V occupies its LII have sufficient reactanceto prevent more than a small amount of alternating current from flowingthrough relays E and K respectively.

A battery Q", located adjacent switch F, supplies current for operatingrepeater relays g and g and signals S S S and S Having thus described,in general, the arrangement and location of the various parts comprisingmy invention, I will now proceed to explain the operation of theapparatus.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in their normal condition, thatis, track sections AB and C-D are unoccupied, levers V and V are intheir normal or N position, switch F is in its normal position, and eachof the signals S S S3 and S indicates stop.

With track sections A-B and C-D unoccupied, relays G and G areenergized. Relays g and g are energized by their control circuitsincluding battery 3 and pass ing through contacts 61 and 63 of relays Gand respectively.

lVith lever V in its N position, relay E is energized in its normaldirection by current flowing from battery 0 through wire 7, con tact 8of lever V wire 9, winding of relay K wires 10, 11 and 12, impedance 13,wire 14, winding of relay E, and wires 15, 16 and 17 back to'battery QThe current flowing in this circuit, although of sufficient magnitude tocause relay E to close its front contacts, is not great enough to causerelay K to close its contact 74 which is therefore open.

With lever V in its N position, a circuit is completed passing fromsecondary winding 20 of transformer T, through wire 29, contact 30 oflever V wire 23', winding of relay K wire 24, condenser 25, wire '11,condenser 26, wire 27, winding 51 of relay H, and wires 28, 17 and 73 toterminal 76 of transformer T. The current flowing in this circuit is,however, of insuflicient magnitude to operate either relay H or K 7Since the front contacts of relays K and K are open, indicator lamps eand e are unlighted.

I will assume that an approaching eastbound train de-energizes relay Gwhich then opens its front contact 61 in the circuit of relay g andcloses its back contact 58 completing a branch path around winding 51 inthe circuit previously traced for relay H. This branch path passes fromcondenser 26, through wire 56, contact 57 of relay 9 contact 58 of relayG and wire 59 to wire 28. Relay 9 being of a slow releasing type,retains its contact 57 in the closed position for a short period of timeafter cont-act 58 of relay G has been closed. Meanwhile, the branch pathust traced permits sufficient current to flow to cause relay K to closeits front contact 70. Indicator lamp 6 then becomes lighted by itscircuit passing from battery Q through wires 68 and 69, contact 7 0,wire 71, lamp c and wires 72 and 73 back to battery Q As soon as relay gopens its front contact 57, thereby opening the branch path aroundwinding 51 of relay H, the current flowing through relay K is so reducedthat contact 70 again opens, thus extinguishing lamp 6 If, on the otherhand, when again in their normal condition as previously described, anapproaching westbound train tie-energizes relay G the circuit for relayis opened at contact 63 of relay G and a branch path around relay E iscomplet ed through back contact 54 of relay G This branch path passesfrom wire 14, through wire 53, contact 54, and contact 55 of relay g towire 16. By the completion of this branch path, the resistance in serieswith relay K is so reduced as to permit sulficient current to flow tocause relay K to close its front contact 74, thereby completing thelighting circuit of lamp 6. This lighting circuit passes from battery Qthrough wire 68, contact 74, wire 75, lamp c and Wires 72 and 73 back tobattery Qf. Lamp 6 is thus lighted, indicating to the despatcher that anapproaching train has entered section C-D.

I will now assume that all parts are again in their normal condition aspreviously described, and that the despatcher desires to clear signal Sfor an eastbound train to move over switch F. He accordingly operateslever V to its R position, thus completing, through contact 32 of leverV a circuit for relay H passing from secondary winding 20 of transformerT, through wire 31, contact 32, wire 23, winding of relay K wire 24,condenser 25, wire 11, condenser 26, wire 27, winding 51 of relay H, andwires 28, 17 and 73 to terminal 76 of transformer T. Sullicient currentthen flows to cause relay H to close its contacts to the left position,but not to cause relay K to close its front contact; Relay H, uponclosing its contacts to the left position, completes, through itscontact 40, the operating circuit for signal S passing from battery 6)},through Wires 33 and 34, front contact 35 of relay E, normal contact 36of relay E, wire 37, contact 38 of circuit controller a which isoperated by switch F, wire 39, contact 4O of relay H, wire 41, operatingmechanism of signal S and wires 65, 66 and 67 back to battery Q Signal Sis then operated to its proceed position. If, now, an approachingeastbound train de-energizes relay G, the branch path around winding 51of relay H becomes closed as previously described, causing relay K toclose its contact 70 and lamp 6 to become lighted by the circuit alreadytraced.

I will next assume that all parts are again in their normal conditionand that the despatcher desires to reverse switch F for a all parts aretrain to move from stretch X to siding Y.

He accordingly operates lever V to its R position, thus completing acircuit by which current flows in the reverse direction through thewinding of relay E. This circuit passes from battery Q}, through wires17, 16 and 15, winding of relay E, wire 14:, impedance 13, wires 12, 11and 10, winding of relay K wire 9, contact 44 of lever V and wire 43back to battery Q}. Relay E then closes its polar contacts in thereverse position, caus-' ing switch F to be operated to its reverseposition. a

If, then, the despatcher desires to clear signal S he will operate leverV to its L 51 of relay H in a reverse direction with respect tothecurrent flowing through winding 52. The circuit, by which this currentof reverse relative polarity travels, passes from terminal 7 6 oftransformer T, through wires 7 3, 17 and 28, winding 51 of relay H, wire27 condenser 26, wire 11, condenser 25, wire 24, winding of relay K wire23, contact 22 of lever V and wire 21 to secondary winding. 19 oftransformer T. Relay H then closes its contacts toward the right,completing the operating circuit for signal S passing from battery Qthrough wires 33 and 34C, front contact 35 of relay E, reverse contact36 of relay E, wire 15, contact ltd-4:6.

of circuit controller a and which is now closed on account of switch Fbeingin its reverse position, wire 47, contact 48 of relay H, wire 50,operating mechanism of signal S and wires 66 and 67 back to battery QThe arm of signal S is then operated to its proceed position. If now atrain deenergizes relay G lamp 6 will become lighted as previouslydescribed.

From the foregoing descriptions for typical traffic moves, the operationof the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawing will be readilyunderstood for other trafiic moves.

Although I have herein shown and .described only one form of remotecontrol apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

I claim is: i

1. In combination with a railway switch and a signal for governing themovement of traffic over said switch, a first manually operable lever, asecond manually operable lever, a pair of line wires extending from apoint adjacent said levers to apoint adjacent said switch, a firstsource of current, a second source for supplying current of a differentcharacter than current supplied by said first source, means forcontrolling the operation of said switch by current from said'firstsource ond I approach indication means controlled through a contact ofthe second of said track relays by current from said second sourcesupplied to said line wires by said second lever. position, sendingcurrent through winding 2. In combination with a railway switch and asignal for governing the movement of tralfic over said switch, a firstmanuallyoperable lever, a second manually operable lever, a pair of linewires extending from a point adjacent said levers to a point adjacentsaid switch, a first source for supplying direct current, a secondsource for supplying alternating current, apolarized first control relayresponsive to direct current from said first source, a second controlrelay responsive to alternating current from said second source, a firstand a second approach track section for said switch, a track circuit foreach of said sections each including a'track relay, a

slow releasing repeater relay for each of said track relays eachcontrolled by a front contact of its track relay, a first indicationrelay responsive to direct current, a second indication relay responsiveto alternating current, a circuit including said first control relay andsaid first indication relay as well as said line wires in series and animpedance between said first control relay and one of said line wireshaving high reactance to alternating current but only low resistance todirect current, means for supplying said circuit with current of normalor reverse polarity from said first source by said'first lever and ofsuificient magnitude to operate said first control relay but not saidfirst indication relay, a branch path around said first control relay insaid circuit including a back contact of the first track relay and afront contact of its repeater relay, which branch path when closedpermits sufiicient current to flow'to operate said first indication relaa second circuit includ- Havlng thus described my invention, what I ingsaid second control relay and said second indication relay as well assaid line wires in series and a condenser between said second controlrelay and one of said line wires and also a condenser between saidsecond indica-- said second control relay in said circuit including aback contact of the second track relay and a front contact of itsrepeater relay, which branch path When closed permits sufiicient currentto flow to operate said second indication relay, indication meanscontrolled by said first indication relay, indication means controlledby said second indication relay, means for controlling the operation ofsaid switch by said first control relay, and means for controlling theoperation of said signal by said second control relay.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. BELL.

